


Some kind of harmony is on the rise

by scarletseeker113



Series: There were days when each hour was a war I fought to survive [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M, giving birth!, just fluffy stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-10
Updated: 2013-06-10
Packaged: 2017-12-14 14:24:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/837887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarletseeker113/pseuds/scarletseeker113
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony’s face is white, probably because Pepper’s got his hand in a death grip. <br/>Pepper’s torso is bulging with her as yet unborn child. “My water just broke,” Pepper says in a strained voice.<br/>Clint sits up, twisting around.<br/>“We should probably get to a hospital,” Bruce says. “Unless you’d like to give birth in a bathtub?”<br/>Pepper glares at him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some kind of harmony is on the rise

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog

“I’m just pointing out the idea that _maybe_ we should watch something other than the Princess Bride. I mean, it’s a great movie but I’m getting tired of it.” Clint flops down on the ground, laying on his back.

“Well, we’re sure as hell not going to watch some idiot action movie,” Natasha says.

“Or any romantic comedies,” Clint counters. 

“That pretty much leaves inspirational sports movies,” Darcy says, peering into the cabinet.

Pepper yells behind her. “No inspirational sports movie then?” Darcy asks, turning around.

Tony’s face is white, probably because Pepper’s got his hand in a death grip. 

“Oh, right,” Darcy says.

Pepper’s torso is bulging with her as yet unborn child. “My water just broke,” Pepper says in a strained voice.

Clint sits up, twisting around.

“We should probably get to a hospital,” Bruce says. “Unless you’d like to give birth in a bathtub?”

Pepper glares at him. 

“I’ve asked Happy to pull the car around,” JARVIS says.

“Thanks JARVIS,” Tony says, standing up. “We have to go Pepper.” He sounds remarkably calm. “Come on, stand up, lean on me.”

Steve stands up from where he’s sitting and offers Pepper his arm. She grips it tight enough that the super soldier winces.

They hobble into the elevator together. Darcy stands up, “Well I’m not going to wait here, anyone else want to go down to the hospital with me?”

Clint scrambles to his feet, “I’m coming,” he says. “If only to see Tony tear his hair out in anguish.”

Natasha slides off the couch. “I suppose I’ll come too.”

They all turn to look at Bruce and Coulson. They sigh and look at each other, then stand up in unison.

“Perfect,” Darcy says, clapping her hands together.

 *   *   *

“You did this to me!” Pepper screams at Tony. Her legs are bent and she’s sweating, beads of perspiration running down her face.

“Pepper,” Tony says sternly. “It’s going to be okay, you’re almost there.” She’s been in labor for seven hours already, crying and screaming in pain. Tony has been there the entire time, various people bringing him coffee. Every time they hand him a cup Pepper shoots him such a venomous look that he always puts it down and it goes cold, still full.

Tony leans his face down to Pepper’s and kisses her cheek. “You have to push now, honey. You have to push.”

Pepper turns and kisses him on the mouth, a hard quick kiss. “I love you,” she says.

“I love you,” Tony answers.

Then the grip on his hand increases in pressure so that his bones are grinding together.

Pepper screams.

It goes like this for another half an hour of pushing, and then suddenly it’s over. Tony can hear the tiny cries of a baby and the man at the end of the bed stands up, holding a tiny human.

Tony has half a second to appreciate how small the fingers are before he says, “It’s a girl.”

Tony isn’t aware that he’s grinning until it hurts his cheeks. “A girl?” he asks.

The man nods, handing the child to him. Tony cradles her in his arms awkwardly.

“We have a girl,” Tony says, turning to Pepper.

Pepper holds her arms out for her, and Tony hands their daughter to her. Pepper holds her close, looking down at her.

Privately, Tony thinks that this is the most beautiful he has ever seen Pepper, red faced and sweaty, with her stomach swollen and their little baby girl in her arms, wailing and waving her tiny fists.

“Elizabeth,” Pepper says.

“Elizabeth Landon Stark,” Tony says softly. He leans down and kisses Pepper. 

*   *   * 

“I wish Jane and Thor could be here,” Darcy says absently.

“They’ll come back when they’re out of their honeymoon phase,” Coulson says, flipping through a magazine in the waiting room. 

Clint shudders. “If they come back from Asgard without getting that out of their system I will shoot them.”

Natasha pats his leg consolingly and makes a mark on the paper they’re sharing. 

“Damn it,” Clint says. “Beat me again.” They’ve been having a tic tac toe marathon for the last couple of hours.

Steve is absent, out on a coffee run for all of them.

Bruce wakes up slowly from his nap across three different chairs. He groans, stretching out his back and exhaling loudly.

“He’s always a little grumpy when he wakes up,” Darcy whispers to Phil.

“Don’t tell lies about me,” Bruce grumbles and walks over to Darcy to sit next to her. Normally he presses his face into her neck when he wakes up, nuzzling her and pulling her waist towards him. But now he just puts a hand on her leg. She slides a hand over his back smoothing out his shirt and trying to give him some comfort.

Clint thrusts his fist in the air- he won a round of tic tac toe. 

Steve walks through the doors of the waiting room, letting in a gust of warm Manhattan air with it. He hands out the various forms of caffeine to everyone and sits down.

“Any news?” he asks.

“None,” Natasha answers.

Just as she says that Tony walks down the hall, looking exhausted but grinning like an idiot.

He leans over the back of the chair to steal Steve’s coffee and takes a swig before handing it back.

“Elizabeth Landon Stark,” he says. “They’re both healthy, doing fine.”

Bruce stands up and claps Tony on the back.

“God,” Tony says, sounding like his normal self again. “That was the most badass thing I’ve ever seen anyone do. Pepper literally just pushed a person out of her.”

Coulson’s mouth tweaks upwards.

“Can we see them?” Clint asks. 

Tony nods. “She wants to see you all before she sleeps for a while.”

They all file back to the elevator and ride up it in exhausted silence.

They tip toe into Pepper’s room. She’s sitting up with Elizabeth in her arms. “Hi,” she whispers. “She’s sleeping.”

They all peek over to see an infant with smooth skin and round cheeks. Her eyes are closed, her lips puckered.

“She’s beautiful,” Natasha says, reverent awe in her voice. She leans back into Clint, who wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her temple. It’s a surprisingly affectionate gesture for them to do in public. 

Natasha slides her hands over his arms and turns and kisses him on the cheek.

Everyone pretends not to notice.

Coulson releases a rare smile, Darcy squeezes Bruce’s hand and Steve is grinning unashamedly. 

“Congratulations,” Steve says to Pepper and Tony. “This is amazing.”

Elizabeth stirs in Pepper’s arms, twisting into her mother.

“Just wait until she starts dating,” Darcy says with a grin.

“Don’t even say that,” Tony says without grinning. “I’m not thinking about it.”

“It’ll be a brave boy to date her,” Bruce says. “With all the Avengers as her Aunt and Uncles.”

Rhodey knocks on the door, peeking in. “Sorry I’m late, I was in L.A.”

Tony waves him in. “This is Elizabeth,” he says, taking his daughter from Pepper and walking over to Rhodey.

“She’s gorgeous,” Rhodey says smiling. 

“Will you be the godfather?” Tony asks, subconsciously bouncing back and forth to sooth the infant.

“What?” Rhodey asks, looking up at Tony sharply. 

“You heard me,” Tony answers.

“I’d be honored,” Rhodey answers.

“Here,” Tony shifts Elizabeth towards him. “Hold your goddaughter.”

Rhodey takes her, and while he does a single tear runs down his cheek. “I can’t believe you asked me,” he mutters.

“Who else is there?” Tony asks simply.

Bruce slides an arm around Darcy’s waist, stepping closer to her and smiling softly.

“Okay I love you all, but I need to sleep, so get out,” Pepper shifts deeper into her pillow. 

Rhodey hands Elizabeth back to Tony and they all file out one by one.

Tony sits in the chair next to Pepper’s bed.

“She’s going to be beautiful like you,” he whispers.

“And have your brain,” Pepper answers.

“I can’t wait to teach her physics.” Tony laughs. “And take her to Disneyland and hear her first word.”

“Clint can take her to Disneyland,” Pepper says sleepily. “He’d like that.”

“Would you like that?” Tony asks Elizabeth. She’s stays asleep. “Uncle Clint can take you to Disneyland. And Aunt Natasha can teach you how to castrate boys.”

Pepper smiles.

“Uncle Steve will teach you how to read and help you with your art projects,” Pepper says.

“Bruce will teach you about genetics and science, Darcy will help with boy problems and get you addicted to British television,” Tony says.

“Thor will teach you how to fight and Jane will tell you about finding Asgard,” Pepper’s eyes are closed, her breathing deep and even.

“And your mom,” Tony whispers, “will teach you how to be an amazing, empathetic, successful woman.”

“Mmmm, I love you,” Pepper whispers.

“I love you too,” Tony says, but Pepper is already asleep.


End file.
